J U N E 2 0 1 1 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 6

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

IOM FACILITATES IN-

TER DISTRICT PEACE

DIALOGUES BETWEEN

THE TURKANA AND

POKOT

1

URGENT LIVESTOCK

DESTOCKING NEEDED

TO AVERT WORSEN-

ING DROUGHT IM-

PACTS IN MOYALE

DISTRICT, NORTHERN

KENYA

2

SOMALIA: IOM AND

PARTNERS BOOST HIV

PREVENTION

2

KENYA: IOM AND

GOVERNMENT

MINISTRY JOINS

FORCES IN SUPPORT

OF PASTORALISTS’

LIVELIHOOD

3

ONE REFUGEE

WITHOUT HOPE IS

TOO MANY

3

SOMALIA: IOM

SPONSORS A SPORTS

TOURNAMENT TO

CREATE AWARENESS

ON IRREGULAR MI-

GRATION

4

International Organization for

Migration, Nairobi,

Church Road, Off Rhapta Road,

Westlands

PO Box 55040- 00200-Nairobi,

KENYA

Phone: + 254 20 4444167/174

Fax: + 254 20 4449577

E-mail: piunairobi@iom.int

Website: http://nairobi.iom.int

Cattle rustling incidences and the rising conflicts

over scarce pasture and water among the Pokot

and Turkana communities continue to hit media

headlines. The incidences have raised security

concerns among the pastoralist communities in

Northern Kenya, a scenario worsening as the

protracted drought impacts negatively on the

communities’ livelihood systems.

Through a Japan-funded project to mitigate

conflicts among the pastoralist and refugee host

communities, International Organization for

Migration (IOM) has launched an ambitious

campaign strategy to reach the communities

through the District Peace Committees (DPC).

IOM’s peace building and conflict management

process is anchored on a four-pillar strategy that

seeks to prevent conflict, protect victims of

conflicts, build and strengthen policies that

promote peaceful co-existence and promote

partnerships with formal and grass root structures

like peace committees.

A joint training was held for the four Pokot County

and Turkana South District Peace Committees

(DPCs) in Kapenguria on 2nd

and 3rd

June 2011,

barely a week after fatal raids along the border

area of the two communities. A total of 50 peace

committee members from the five Districts

participated from West Pokot, Turkana South,

Central Pokot, North Pokot and South Pokot

Districts. This forum was also used as an

opportunity for directors from the Truth, Justice

and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC), to conduct

civic education on the commission’s reconciliation

processes.

The two-day training workshop was graced by the

District Commissioner for West Pokot Mr. Alfred

Mwandale, who applauded IOM’s Peace building

strategy of partnering and empowering the grass

root committees for sustainable impact. The teams

identified land disputes, historical marginalization,

negative politics, scarcity of water and pasture, poor

governance systems and the retrogressive culture of

cattle rustling as the main sources of conflict

between the two communities as the challenges

being faced by residents of the area.

Boundaries and land disputes were seen to elicit

emotions and the recommendations were that the

government take decisive measures to identify the

real boundaries, involvement of the two

communities in identifying the boundaries and

meetings to create a common understanding on the

importance of living in harmony, historical injustices

to be addressed through TJRC’s hearings and

recommendations and the government to beef up

security in the region by empowering the Kenya

Police Reservists.

IOM will support a two-day training of statement

takers by TJRC, who will be tasked with the

responsibility of writing statements of incidences of

violations, mobilizing the communities and writing

memoranda of human rights violations in the region.

The training will be facilitated by TJRC and the

commission will organize a visit to West Pokot

County for hearings.

IOM FACILITATES INTER DISTRICT PEACE DIALOGUES BETWEEN THE

TURKANA AND POKOT

IOM NAIROBI BULLETIN

Participants pose for a group photo

The Peace Building and conflict

management process is anchored on a

four-pillar strategy that seeks to

prevent conflict, protect victims of

conflicts, build and strengthen policies

that promote peaceful co-existence

P A G E 2 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 6

Pastoralists in Northern Kenya have called on a United Nations

inter-agency team “Security in Mobility (SIM)” to advocate for the

enhancement of destocking exercises that would help households

save the few livestock they have left, as drought continues to

ravage the pastoral livelihoods system in the Arid areas of

Northern Kenya.

The United Nations inter-agency team comprising of UNOCHA,

FAO and IOM, were in Moyale last month to assess the impact of

the drought on pastoralists. The team noted that the cattle

physical condition have deteriorated to such an alarming rate, that

traders are no longer interested in purchasing them in markets in

Moyale and Nairobi.

“I have lost most of my cows, and the remaining ones are

emaciated and dying. There is nowhere to take them [cows] to

graze. My only option is to dispose them but there is no one willing

to buy the animals in such poor condition,” 49 year old Muro Ali

told the UN SIM team at the Moyale Market which hosts

pastoralists from Moyale, Ethiopia, Marsabit, Mandera and Wajir.

Ali, a husband and father of 8 has already lost 39 cows out of his

herd of 60 as a result of this year’s drought.

The United Nations SIM team has noted that for most of these

pastoralists de-stocking exercises will be too late if not

implemented in the next six weeks.

Livestock prices have dropped from Ksh. 6110 in April 2011 to the

current Ksh.5000 for a mature bull. Pasture conditions are very

poor in the district and will be depleted in the next two weeks due

to heavy movement of livestock from Isiolo, Ethiopia and Wajir.

Pastoralists now have to purchase packaged milk as their cows are

no longer able to produce fresh milk. To add to the burden they

must now travel even further distances to water their livestock.

Walking distances for man and cattle have now more than doubled

with up to 50-60km covered against the pre-drought distance of

8-12kms.

URGENT LIVESTOCK DESTOCKING NEEDED TO AVERT WORSENING DROUGHT IMPACTS IN

MOYALE DISTRICT, NORTHERN KENYA

The current drought which has depleted pasture and dried

water points in Moyale has increased both internal and

cross-border movement. Inter-clan attacks and counter-attacks

have increased with fatal consequences. Seven people were

killed in Burji, Moyale town as a result of cross border commu-

nity conflicts on 16 and 27 of May 2011. Drought conditions are

set to worsen in the coming months.

The Security in Mobility Initiative in coming months will

advocate support for long-term interventions that build

community resilience to drought; including pasture range

management, cross-border disease surveillance and facilitated

mobility to shared resources to avert conflict and support

environmental management.

The cattle have become emaciated and are dying

An estimated 8.1 million people are feeling the impact of poor

health systems in Somalia due to ongoing conflict. Instability in

the country is exacerbating gender inequalities, impacting on

economic security, creating mass displacement, and resulting in

human rights violations. All of these factors have resulted in an

increase in HIV prevalence.

Over the last two years, the International Organization for

Migration (IOM) has worked closely with Government officials

and partners to develop and implement community centred

health programmes.

IOM trained nearly 100 peer educators in 2010 in health care

education and sexual and gender-based violence, and reached

out to over 2,270 populations that are particularly vulnerable

to HIV infection, including truck drivers, port workers, and

internally displaced persons with behaviour change

communication activities.

IOM AND PARTNERS BOOST HIV

PREVENTION

P A G E 3 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 6

Scarce resources have led to increased pastoralist movements to

insecure and more environmentally fragile places in Northern

regions of Kenya. Whilst these communities have had

long-standing ‘historical’ tensions and resource based conflicts,

chronic drought has significantly increased the frequency of

pastoral movements and the duration spent in ‘foreign’ territory.

The Pokot, a predominantly pastoralist community, from West

Pokot County, in Kenya’s North Rift Valley bordering on Western

Uganda is constantly faced with external as well as internal

conflicts arising from scramble for scarce pastures and water for

their animals.

An assessment conducted on the breeding patterns of goats

reared in this area shows that their milk and meat production is

very low due to inbreeding as well as a reduction of the animals’

vigor and resilience to the ever changing climate.

IOM in partnership with the Ministry of Livestock and Veterinary

Department embarked on a sensitization project among the

livestock interests groups in the county of Pokot in an effort to

address the need to improve indigenous breed and consequently

improve the quality of meat and milk productivity of the animals.

Twenty groups of herders selected from four districts in West

Pokot were given five Galla breed goats to boost productivity of

the animals in the area. A total of 100 Galla goats were provided

and a monitoring strategy put in place to ensure good health of

the animals, their security, feeding and benefit to the community.

Capacity building will also be provided to the farmers on livestock

productions skills, feeding, animal health and marketing to ensure

an improvement in goat rearing in the county.

In Turkana West, IOM also distributed 50 Galla goat bucks and 50

male topper sheep for breeding.

IOM in partnership with the Ministry of livestock’s livestock

IOM AND GOVERNMENT MINISTRY JOINS

FORCES IN SUPPORT OF PASTORALISTS’

LIVELIHOOD

production department and provincial administration in the area

engaged the communities in mapping out pastoralist communi-

ties and beneficiaries for the improved breeds of goats and

sheep.

Due to the effects of climate change resulting in prolonged

drought and unreliable rainfall in Northern Kenya, IOM is also

distributing feed supplements to help the improved breeds in

adapting to the new environment as well as boost the weak and

vulnerable local livestock.

Some of the goats distributed to farmers in West Pokot

ONE REFUGEE WITHOUT HOPE IS TOO MANY

In the backdrop of the ever increasing number of refugees from

Somalia to Dadaab refugee camp, the biggest refugee camp in

the World, IOM joined the Government of Kenya and the United

Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in June 20,

2011, to mark the World Refugee Day. The theme this year was

‘One Refugee Without Hope is Too Many’.

Kenya’s Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons

who was also the chief guest, Hon. Otieno Kajwang commended

IOM for the good work the organization is doing in the resettle-

ment of refugees. He also interacted with IOM staff at the IOM

exhibition booth.

Activities that helped interact with the refugees, media,

dignitaries, partners, humanitarian workers and the general

public including trivia quiz questions, awareness creation and

the process of movement were carried out IOM exhibition.

World Refugee Day is held every year on June 20. Thousands of

people around the world take time to recognize and applaud the

contribution of forcibly displaced people throughout the world.

Events of the day provide an opportunity for the International

Community to interact with those who have been forced to flee

their homeland to seek asylum in other countries and to reaffirm

the values upon which International Agreements for Refugee

Protection are based.

Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons Hon. Otieno

Kajwang (in cap) interacts with IOM staff during the World Refugee

Day

©IOM, Chris Wade

P A G E 4 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 6

Thousands of spectators turned out to watch the opening cere-

mony of a Sports tournament at Hargeisa Stadium, Somaliland

which took place from 8 -24 June, 2011, in which nine football

teams, six basketball teams, and an athletics team comprised of

young Somalis and migrants competed at Hargeisa Stadium on 8

June organized to create awareness amongst Somalia youth on the

dangers of irregular migration.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in partnership

with the Somaliland Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture organized

this day as part of its ongoing advocacy campaign, funded by the

Government of Japan under its Mixed Migration Programme. Its

main aim is to warn young people, in particular, of the dangers of

irregular migration and human trafficking. The message is simple –

DON’T TAHRIB ! – a term widely used by Somali’s which, loosely

translated means don’t become an irregular/undocumented mi-

grant, with the further underlying implication of don’t fall victim to

smugglers and traffickers – be aware of the dangers of getting into

a rickety boat and its potentially lethal consequences.

High level representatives of the Somaliland Government including

H.E Vice President Abdurahman Abullahi Sayli’I, H.E Mohamed

Ibrahim Madar Minister of Youth, Sport and Culture, H.E. Farah Ali,

Minister of Agriculture and HE Ahmed Abdullahi, the Regional Gov-

ernor for Hargeisa showed up in full force to demonstrate their

support for this initiative. Also in attendance were the first and

second secretaries of the Embassy of Japan from Nairobi Mr.

Shinya Iwata, and Ms. Kaoru Yokotani and the Head of IOM’s

Hargeisa Office, Mr. Husham Halim.

SOMALIA: LET THE GAMES BEGIN! IOM SPONSORS A SPORTS TOURNAMENT TO

CREATE AWARENESS ON IRREGULAR MIGRATION

In his opening remarks , the Vice President H.E Abdurahman

Abullahi Sayli’I explained to the crowds and players how difficult

it is to move away from one’s country to another and start new

life. He said: “This country needs young people like those of you

playing in this tournament to stay home. “Please stay at home,

otherwise you will be victims of trafficking and will be victimized

in many different ways.”

Every year, tens of thousands of migrants and asylum-seekers

make the hazardous journey across the Gulf of Aden in search of

a better life. They travel across the Gulf of Aden to Yemen in

makeshift boats operated by unscrupulous smugglers.

IOM, the UN and non-governmental organizations have been

running campaigns for years to create awareness and educate

potential migrants and asylum seekers from falling prey to the

cunning ways of smugglers and human traffickers whose only

interest is to make money, and with no regard to the lives.

These campaigns have done little to discourage people

desperate to flee war and poverty from risking their lives. It is

non the less crucial that these messages do not stop.

Mr. Husham Halim, the IOM Head of Office in Hargeisa said "You

have to keep trying. You just cannot give up. Every week people

are dying or drowning or suffering great abuses. You just never

know how many may be saved," he said.

According to the mixed migration task force comprised of IOM,

UNHCR, OCHA, UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, the Danish and Norwegian

Refugee Councils and INTERSOS, some 37,406 migrants and asy-

lum seekers (mostly Ethiopians and Somalis) crossed the Gulf of

Aden arriving in Yemen from Somalia between January and June

2011.

The tournament brought together thousands of spectators

It is Crucial that we do not stop creating

awareness on the dangers of irregular

migration…

Halim Husham Head of IOM’s Office in Hargeisa

Somalia

P A G E 5 V O L U M E 5 , I S S U E 6

IOM NAIROBI WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE DONORS AND PARTNERS WHO HAVE FEATURED IN THIS

MONTH’S NEWSLETTER AND WITH WHOSE SUPPORT THESE PROGRAMMES HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE

International Organization for Migration, Nairobi,

Church Road, Off Rhapta Road. Westlands

PO Box 55040- 00200-Nairobi, KENYA

Phone: + 254 20 4444167/174

Fax: + 254 20 4449577

E-mail: piunairobi@iom.int

Website: http://nairobi.iom.int